Let me start by telling you what I am NOT. I am not a believer. I need to have things proven to me before I believe. I do not do fitness, new age, meditation, yoga-mumbo jumbo. Apologies to those who do, I am sure you benefit greatly from it – it is just not for me.

I am not someone who exercise. Not at all. I am by far the laziest person you will ever meet. I walk my dogs. Period. I dance salsa. Nothing else. I am not someone who cooks. All my life I have lived off of cookies, cakes, sandwiches and coffee with obscene amounts of sugar in it. I kid you not. I am rather uninterested in food as a whole. Which is why I have troubles with circulation. 

Then why would I ever be BLESSED (because I have come to realize that it is a blessing) to come across such a thing as the BodyStream Dry CO2 bath? Well, my lower back has been punishing me for at least ten years now. I have also developed problems with my lymphatic system and my blood value is far from up to par. I suffer from constant shortage of iron and my hemoglobin values have been known to be so low that at one time my doctor called me, in hysterics, to check that I was not lying passed out and dying on the bathroom floor – and then I got sent straight to the hospital to get a blood transfusion.

This has resulted in my diet being overhauled by medical experts and my lifestyle turned completely upside down. No lactose, no gluten and absolutely no sugar for the rest of my life. It seems I have indulged enough in those pleasures. Or rather – my body has. And suddenly rearranging my way of living and my way of thinking opened my mind up to being willing to listen to a good friend of mine who is absolutely passionate about Conscious Breathing.

This passion of hers has brought her to one of the foremost experts in Conscious Breathing in the world, Anders Olsson. He is currently developing the BodyStream which is not yet available for purchase, but he ever so graciously has allowed my friend to conduct a smaller study on subjects she thinks might benefit from its effects. And she thought of me and my chronic back pain, my lymphatic problems and my constantly icy hands – which tells the story of bad blood circulation. She asked me if I wanted to try the suit – and in my new state of mind I agreed.

AND AM I EVER GLAD THAT I DID!!

Day 1 – Slept through the whole night

The BodyStream is a suit you put on, where then all air is sucked out and the suit is filled with carbon dioxide (CO2). Sounds futuristic? It sure looks like a space suit – so yes! Before I got into the suit I received a local massage of my lower back – my nemesis – to warm the muscles up to be even more receptive to the CO2. Then in I went. Air was sucked out, CO2 pumped in. I felt like Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the little girl with the chewing gum who blows up to a giant, round blueberry. I then lay down comfortably to let the CO2 do its magic.

A slow, warm, embracing feeling came over me. My hands tingled slightly – as if they all of a sudden were drenched in happiness. After a while I did become a bit dizzy, but that feeling passed. After 30 minutes it was time to leave the soft, warm cocoon of the BodyStream.

Before going in I tried to fold my body over to touch the floor, to have a specific move to measure if any difference would be noticeable after using the BodyStream. A movement I have been unable to do for at least five odd years. My outstretched hands came no further than halfway down my calves. Directly after leaving the suit I tried again. I was able to bend forward all the way over until my stomach were against my thighs, and my fingers touched the floor! I do not know if I have EVER been able to do that. But in the first minute after the treatment I could.

That night I slept without even waking up once. Normally I wake up an average of ten times a night, roughly every time I need to change position because every movement is torture. My hips and my back are very, very sore. I slept without waking up even once. Unheard of! I had tears in my eyes.

Day 2 – Hangover

I must admit to not actually knowing what a hang-over feels like as I have never been drunk, but I imagine it feels somewhat like I felt the day after the treatment. A constant, gnawing headache and a slight feeling of nausea all day. And yes, I even ended up vomiting. I am not ashamed to admit that I spent most of the day in bed (naturally I was free from work, so I probably would have lingered in bed anyway) under my three dogs watching Netflix. No pain in my lower back at all – but headache and nausea galore… Again, I slept through the night without waking when changing positions.

Day 3 – The bags under my eyes were GONE!

I ventured into the bathroom in the morning to have a shower – saw myself in the mirror and nearly fainted! The bags under my eyes were GONE! I have had dark circles and bags under my eyes since I was 13 – now all the puffiness had vanished! The darkness was still visible – but the swollen, puffy under-eye-bags were nowhere to be seen. Like winning the lottery!

Day 4 – Where has my pain gone?

Woke up after a painless nights sleep, took the dogs out for a long walk and half-way through, in the middle of the forest I realize I am missing the ever present low-key aching in my back that always rears its ugly head while walking the dogs, nor are my hips complaining. What?

Day 5 – My “crocodile” skin is soft like a baby’s bottom

I am vehemently against all things that has to do with putting lotion on. It feels sticky, oily and makes me panic to the extent that the few times I have tried to put lotion on my face or my body I have ended up washing my face or taking a shower, thus undoing the effect of the lotion. As a result of this I end up having legs that seem to have crocodile skin in the winter. Scaly, dry crocodile skin. After the BodyStream treatment however my skin feels soft and supple. Almost like a baby’s bottom.

I cannot wait to go back for treatment number two! What wonders are yet to come? I already sleep without any pain, my back does not constantly ache and my hips are not sore to the touch. I look more awake, healthy – and dare I say – younger as the puffiness under my eyes is gone. Looking forward to what the continued therapy will bring.

Victoria Heaps
47, Translator, Stockholm, Sweden